Derrick mounting for portable drilling and servicing rigs



March 9, 1954 J. MOON DERRICK MOUNTING FOR PORTABLE DRILLING ANDSERVICING RIGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1948 JNVENTOR. 11h MESMOO N flTTORNEY.

March 9, 1954 J M DERRICK MOUNTING FOR PORTABLE DRILLING AND SERVICINGRIGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1948 IN VEN TOR. rfimzs 5 Mo ON ByZ I ATTORNEY.

DERRICK MOUNTING FOR PORTABLE DRILLING AND SERVICING RIGS Filed June 28,1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR. (JAMES Moan @1- TORNE y.

arch 9, 1&54 J M 2,671,537

DERRICK MOUNTING FOR PORTABLE DRILLING AND SERVICING RIGS Filed June 28,1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IQ o N =1 P Q a I f l T w I m E j N- Q. NN N M a)I? m a w m m w l\ h 3% m N N R10 N n INVENTOR. JAMES MOON ATTORNEPatented Mar. 9, 1954 DERRICK MOUNTING FOR PORTABLE DRILLING ANDSERVICING RIGS James Moon, Altadena, Calif., assignor to Western OilTool & Engineering Co. Inc., Hollydale, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Application June 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,666

Claims.

Portable drilling and servicing rigs are commonly employed in petroleumproduction for the drilling and servicing of wells. Such rigs areusually transported on trucks or trailers which carry a mast or derrickwhich may be positioned on the truck and erected on the drilling site.These masts are usually composed of one or more sections, usually two,in such form that the upper section may be telescoped into the lowersection. When the derrick is to be transported it is collapsed onto thetruck or trailer. Upon erection of the lower section, by rotation ofthis section about a hinge point on the truck, the telescoped hingesection may be withdrawn or extended from the lower section to give amast or derrick of desired height.

Prior art construction of this type of rig is illustrated by the WhitePatent No. 2,204,713. In such construction the derrick, in its restposition upon the truck, is positioned with its upper end, that is, theend carrying the crown block, over the forward end of the truck, and thebottom legs of the derrick, that is, the portion which is positioned onthe ground, protrudes beyond the end of the truck. The derrick, in suchconstruction, in order to be erected, must be pivoted about a hingepoint which is positioned beyond the end of the truck. This is providedby means of a truss mounted on the end of the truck and the derrick ishinged upon said truss with the hinge point beyond the end of the truck.The erecting mechanism consists of a link which is connected near thebottom end of the derrick and in this fashion the erecting mechanismpulls on the end of the derrick and rotates the derrick about the hingepoint.

Realizing that the derrick may weigh as much as 9 to 10 thousand poundsand that the hinge point is several feet rearward of the rear axle andthe end of the derrick is beyond that, it will be noted that when thederrick starts to erect a lever load of considerable magnitude isexerted about the rear axle and that the only countervailing force isthe weight of the truck itself. For this reason it has been foundnecessary in the construction of the prior art, as a measure of safety,to anchor the front of the truck before starting to erect the derrick.

It is also necessary to accurately spot the truck before starting toerect the derrick. In order to spot the truck the truck must be backedinto position. Since the derrick is erected from the rear end of thetruck, this becomes an extremely difficult and hazardous procedure. Itis also a time consuming procedure since it is possible that 2 thespotting may not be accurate and this cannot be told until the derrickis erected and the truck has been tied down to permit the erection ofthe derrick. The derrick must then be retracted, the truck unanchoredand respotted, by backing to and fro, i. e., jockeying into position.

I have designed a derrick mounting for such trucks which avoids thesedifficulties. I have designed a derrick mounting which permits the truckto be moved into position head first so that the driver can see where heis going and so accurately spot his truck and accurately position thederrick in the desired position. This I have accomplished by mountingthe derrick so that its bottom end, that is, the bottom legs, protrudesbeyond the cab while the top of the derrick, that is the crown blockend, is toward the rear of the truck.

As an additional feature of my invention I mount the derrick upon apivot point which is forward of the front axle and over the cab. I alsomount the erecting mechanism so that the reactive thrust imposed, whenthe derrick is lifted off its rest position and rotated about its pivotpoint, is directed to the rear of the front axle but in front of therear axle. As a result of this arrangement, the reactive thrust and thestatic load imposed on opposite sides of the front axle are in balancedarrangement, thus imposing no tilting force about any of the axles ofthe truck.

The driver in his cab position, where he has, as is conventional intrucks, all of the steering and driving controls, can see thederrick-moving into position at all times and thus may, if he sodesires, readjust his position with great facility. Because of the factthat the cab is positioned adjacent the front wheels, where also thederrick is provided, the driver has an unobstructed view of the locationwhere the derrick is to be erected. The improved visibility imparts asurer control by the driver who is in control of the lifting mechanism.

These and other objects of my invention will appear more clearly fromthe following description taken together with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the truck, partly schematic, showing theposition of the derrick in rest position and in partly erected positionin dotted line;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 with the parts removed for clearerillustration;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail, partly broken away, of the front end ofthe truck with the derrick shown in erected position;

Fig. 4 is. a front View of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a section taken along line Ill-ll] of s Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a section taken alongline vI |--Il of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 12 is a section taken alongline-I2'-l2 ;of'

Fig. 6.

The truck I has an enclosed body 2. Slots 3,

for purposes to be described below,: are provided in the top cover. Thetruck carries itsmain motive power as an engine positioned in the rearof the truck in engine 4 compartment 5. The

truck-carries, enclosed in the body; winches B and- 'i "and suitablepower transmitting mechanism, change *speedmechanism; controls, etc. Ithas rear wheels!) and front wheels?) and a cab l which-is positioned' atthe forward end of-the truck. In the-eab-l ll are positionedthe-steering controls and the motive power controls, as is conventionalin-truck design. The chassis is composedof alongi tudinal frame member Hand-rear cross member 12 and front cross member-l3; positionedmidwayunder the cab and in front: of-theforward front wheels 9.

Mounted'upon the-front cross member l3'and withini'the cab lfl aretwo-columns l4 positioned oneyonr each side ofthe cab. These carry across member ;l5-positioned underneath the roof of" the -cab;Two-bearings l6 are positioned through the roof of the cab upon themember I5.-

The bearings lfi'are each'splitand composed of two halves :2|- and 22hinged at '23 and bolted together withbolt 24. Pivotally mounted insidethe bearing i 6 is the tubular cross member I I of the ,-lower sectionl8 ofxth'ederrick I9. The

upper end of the lower section (8 rests upon suphydraulic jack cylinders21 are pivoted-at 25 upon abracket 26mounted :on the longitudinal framemember justrearwardof the front axle; The ends'of extensible piston"28-of the-jack is connected "to a splitbearing1composed of sections29'and 30 which are locked in;place by the clamp ingbolt 32:; Thetubular cross member33 whichconnects the rear-legs'M (see Fig.5) of thelower section 18 is journalledin the split bearinggZQi- Itwill beobserved that there are two such-units (see Figs. 6 and-:10) onepositioned--0n-each*side 4 of the truck body; each' mountedgupon thelongitudinalrmember l l, and operating one in each of the-slots 3 (seeFigsrZfand 10).

The jack-28 is 'hingedly mounted at 21 uponpins 21 on the longitudinalmembers II and beneaththe brackets 26: The jack 2& has an extensiblefoot member 85 mounteduponthe I threaded leg =36 .whieh passes :through'the jack head member-=31 through a screw thread connection. The membereii ends ina ball' and. socketjoint 38 to whichit is connectedatthe-foot. 35.

4 The member 31 is connected by a link 39 which is pivotally connectedat 40 to the underneath side of the longitudinal main frame member H bya removable pivot pin.

When the derrick is being transported it is in the retracted positionshown in Fig. 1 with the top end .of thelower section .l8.resting uponthe supports 20. The jack 28" is in its dotted position (Fig. 6) Thelink 39 is disconnected from the member II, by removing the pin 40, and

swunggintdthe-tdotted position as shown, and the .leg vt6 screwed intothe tube of the jack 28. The vjack 28 is locked .into the dottedposition by a-strap or-someother means not shown and asfWillibfilll'ldlStOOdGbY those skilled in the art.

There is one such jack on each side of the truck as shown in.Fig,;10.

The truck may be driven into the derrick site. Itwill' be observed thatthe driver has full view of the site and can spot his truck accurately.It will be observed that no equipment associated with the truck ispositionedin front of the driver;

Particularly; as will be seen, the derrick legs straddle-thecab;and=the-derrick, while it is being erected orretractedto'rest"position, does not obstruct the" view of the operatorofthe cab. When it is-in this position; jacks 28 are moved into positionshown in'Figs. 6 and '10 and the link 39='connected at thepivot wateach' jack. The'foot' of each jack-is contacted against the ground byrotating'the'jack legs 36,thus wedging the truck in position.

The jack '2l'is then extended,- thederrick rotating-off its cradleonsupports20 and pivoting around the pivot l'l into vertical position;as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the derrick is in vertical position'thelegs 4! are-screwed down until they restinpositionupon blocks 42suitably provided.

It will be observed-that in moving into positionfr'om its restposition'to its vertical position the thrust load imposed by 28 isexerted against bracket '26 andagainst the'ground through jack 28' whilethe static load imposed upon the pivot I! is transmittedthrough thecolumn M to the cross members-l3-andlongitudinal member H and'to thefront-axle. The load-on I3 acts with the "load on- 26 toproduce abending moment in the longitudinal frame member H between thesepoints-,whichbending load is transmitted to the axle and toth'eground:Sincethe-load on 26-is carried'onthe member -H between therearand frontaxles and its moment is added to the weight ofthetruckandis-greater-than the moment oi the static'load -on l3, there is notendency of the truck to tip and a stable platform for the drillingderrick-is presented even without the aid of the jack 28';

It will?'also be observed'that shouldit become necessary-when it appearsthat thederrick is not moving-intoits proper position it may bepossible,

even'thoughthis:is'not-"desirable;to retract the leg 3E fonnotrto"employithe 'jack 28 at all at this stage and jockey the truckjntoproperposition' with the 'derrick partlwerected-or retracted as desired.This isrbecause ff/he," driver can-see at alltimes where his derrick-isgoingfrom his position in the .cab and because astable platform for thetilting derrickiispresented.

While I havetdescribed a particular embodiment ofmy-invention-forthepurpose of illustrationp-it should pe -understood that variousmodifications-and-- adaptations thereof may be' made within the=-spiritof:*the invention as set forth in-the appendedclaimsa I claim: I

l. A portable derrick, comprising a chassis, front wheels mounted on anaxle positioned adjacent the front end of the chassis, rear wheelsmounted on an axle positioned adjacent the rear end of the chassis, adrivers position with steering and motive power controls positionedadjacent the front end of said chassis and extending forward of thefront axle, a collapsible and extensible derrick pivotally mounted onthe chassis to move from a rest position on said chassis With the topend of the derrick positioned rearwardly of said chassis and the bottomof said derrick bein positioned on said chassis toward the front end ofsaid chassis, spaced two front and two rear legs for said derrick, crossbracing between said legs with a free area between a portion of the rearlegs, said derrick comprising a lower section and an upper section,means for moving said upper section relative to said lower section toextend and to collapse said derrick, a hinge on said derrick positionednear the bottom end of said derrick, said hinge also positioned on saidchassis intermediate the forwardmost limits of said chassis and thefront axle and above said drivers position, and means for rotating saidderrick about said hinge to an erect position adjacent the front end ofsaid chassis, said means including a rotation power transmitting memberconnected to said derrick at a point on said derrick spaced from saidhinge, said transmitting member transmitting rotative power to saidderrick to rotate said derrick about said hinge, and a load transmittingconnection between said member and said chassis,

said connection being positioned on said chassis between said front andrear axles, lower portions of said legs being spaced apart transverselywith respect to said chassis a distance greater than the transverseextent of said drivers position, and said lower leg portions and saidhinge being located with respect to the longitudinal axis of saidchassis to cause a portion of the drivers position to enter said freearea and the lower rear leg portions to straddle said drivers positionwhen the derrick is in said erect position.

2. A portable derrick, comprising a chassis, front wheels mounted on anaxle positioned adjacent the front end of the chassis, rear wheelsmounted on an axle positioned adjacent the rear end of the chassis, adrivers position with steering and motive power controls positionedadjacent the front end of said chassis, a collapsible and extensiblederrick pivotally mounted on the chassis to move from a rest position onsaid chassis with the top end of the derrick positioned rearwardly ofsaid chassis and the lower end of said derrick being positioned on saidchassis toward the front end of said chassis, spaced two front and tworear legs for said derrick, cross bracing between said legs, saidderrick compris in a lower section and an upper section, means formoving said upper section relative to said lower section to extend andto collapse said derrick, a hinge on said derrick positoned adjacent thelower end of said derrick, said hinge also positioned on said chassisintermediate the forwardmost limits of said chassis and the front axleand above said drivers position, and means for rotating said derrickabout said hinge to an erect position adjacent the front end of saidchassis with the lower end of said derrick legs in load transferencerelation to the ground, said means including a rotation powertransmitting member connected to said derrick at apoint on said derrickspaced from said hinge, said transmitting member transmitting rotative"power to said derrick to rotate said derrick about said hinge, and aload transmitting connection between said member and said chassis, saidconnection being positioned on said chassis between said front and rearaxles, the portions of said legs in load transference relationship tothe ground being spaced apart transversely with respect to said chassisa distance greater than the transverse extent of said drivers position,and said leg portions and said hinge being positioned with respect tothe longitudinal axis of said chassis locating said drivers positionbetween the said leg portions with the said leg portions straddling saiddrivers position when the derrick is in said erect position.

3. A portable derrick, comprising a chassis, front wheels mounted on anaxle positioned adjacent the front end of the chassis, rear wheelsmounted on an axle positioned adjacent the rear end of the chassis, adrivers position with steering and motive power controlspositioned'adjacent the front end of said chassis, a motive power unitpositioned on said chassis rearward of said drivers position, winchespositioned on said chassis rearward of said drivers position, a derrickpivotally mounted on the chassis to move from a rest position on saidchassis with the top end of the derrick positioned rearward of saidchassis behind said cab, the bottom of said derrick being positioned onsaid chassis toward the front end of said chassis, a hinge on saidderrick positioned near the bottom end of said derrick, said hinge alsopositioned on said chassis intermediate the forwardmost limits of saidchassis and said front axle and above said drivers position, and meansfor rotating said derrick about said hinge to an erect position adjacentthe front end of said chassis, said derrick including spaced two frontleg members and two rear leg members, cross bracing between said legmembers, said derrick legs being in load transferenc relationship to theground when said derrick is in erect position, the derrick axis beingpositioned in a slant plane with respect to the perpendicular as tocause the axis of said derrick to bear away from said chassis at anacute angle to the vertical when said derrick is in an erect position,portions of said derrick supporting legs resting on and in loadtransference relationship to the ground when the derrick is in erectposition being spaced apart transversely with respect to said chassis adistance greater than the transverse extent of the forwardmost portionof said chassis, and leg portions and said hinge being positioned withrespect to the longitudinal axis of said chassis locating the portion ofsaid legs in said load transference relationship to the ground belowsaid forwardmost portion of said chassis with said last-named legportions straddling said drivers position when the derrick is in erectposition.

4. A portable derrick, comprising a chassis, front wheels mounted on anaxle positioned ad- J'acent the front end of the chassis, rear wheelsmounted on an axle positioned adjacent the rear end of the chassis, adrivers position with steering and motive power controls positionedadjacent the front end of said chassis, a motive power unit positionedat the rear end of said chassis, a winch positioned between said motivepower unit and the drivers position, a collapsible and extensiblederrick pivotally mounted on the chassis to move from a rest position onsaid chassis above said motive power unit and said winch with the topend of the derrick positioned rearwardly of said aesmam chassiszandzthe:bottormoi: saidderrick ibeing rPQSi-E tioned fon-fsaidi ichassis=toward .the e front endnof. said chassis;spacedetwo-iront andtwomeardessfomsaid derrick;v cross (bracingqbetweemsaid legs,saidvderricka comprising, aslowerssection :and an upper =section;- meansformovingrsaidtupper section relativeto-said'lowerasection ttonextendand toacollapse=saidwlerrick .a--hinge on saidaderrick positionedadjacent the -lowerendof said derrick,- a'- hinge'support positioned'onsaid chassisvadjacent-.--the.- front axle.- and: supportingsaidhingeabove said drivers .-position,.-,said motive/power unit and said-winch,and-.meansfor: rotating. said. derrick about said .hinge to a-n erectposition. adjacent the front :end of isaid chassis, said means.including a rotation power transmittingmemberconnected to saidderrickatapoint on said. derrick spacedafrom said. hinge, saidetransmittingvmember transmitting .rotative .power .to .said Tde'r.-.-

rick-to rotate said derrick about said hinge. and.

a load. transmitting. connection between-said. member and; said chassis,said. connection being positioned on.- said: chassislb'etweensaid .frontand rear. axles, saidderrickslegs being in.load transference relation tothe ground whensaid derrick is in an erect position, portions of saidlegs which are resting on the ground whenthe derrick is. in an erectposition being spaced apart trans verse1y.,with respect tosaidchassis adistance greater than the transverse extent of said .drivers position,and said leg portions and said hinge beingrlocated with respect to thelongitudinal axisof said chassis causing a portion of the 'driversposition to be positioned betweenthe said legpor: tions, saidleg-portions extending from said hinge torest on theground and'straddlesaid driver's position with the de'rriclrin said erect positionwithlth'e .hinged.derrick in load transference re-' lationshipto theground.

5. -A portable derrick, comprising a chassis, front wheels mountedonan'axle positioned ad jacent .the frontend of'the chassis. rear wheelsmounted on an axle positioned adjacent the rear end of the chassis,a'drivers position with steer-' ing and .motive power controlspositionedadja-.-' cent the front end of said chassis, a motive power unit.positioned at the rearof said chassis, a collapsible and extensiblederrickpivotally, mounted on the chassis to move from a, rest positionon said chassiswiththe'top endof' the derrick posi= 8": tioned towardthe rear of said chassisandathe lower; end,.of--,saidtderricksbeingepositioned on said chassisztowardhthe ,fr'ont. end of. said chassis;v

spacedtworfront land two rear legs .fo'r said derrick,- cross.bracingr-;betweensaid, legs, saidderrick-comprising: a lower section.and an upper.

section,.,means-for moving. said .upper. section relative to said lowersection to.co11apse and ,to extendsaidlierrick, ahinge onsaidde'rrick'posi tionedcadjacent 'th'e lower. .end- .of said derrick}saidliinge .also positioned on said chassis adjacent the .frfont axleand above SaiddriVer 'pOsition,lmeans.for rotating said derrick to anerect position adjacent 'thefront end 'of said chassis;

and .imeans .cooperating;with' the lower endsof said 'derrick'legs toplace said le'gs iniload transference relation to the groundwithsaidderrick. in erect "position; jsaid lower ends of said. legsandsaid" means cooperating therewith being spaced'apart transversely,with respect to said' chassisa'distance:greater than the transverseextent offisaid "driver's position; and said lower ends, said meanscooperating:therewith, and said hinge "being locatedwith respect to the'longi-' tudinal: axis of said chassis locating said "lower' ends' of"onepair of front andrear legs and their respective cooperatingmeans'toone side of said driversposition'and the lower endsof theother pair'offrontand rearlgs and their respective cooperatingmeans-to the other sideof said-driverspositi'onwiththe'derrick in said erect position? JAMESMOON.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITEDISTATES PATENTS

